Loan growth finally showed signs of life in the second quarter. After months of optimistic talk, a number of banks reported real increases, led by stronger commercial and industrial activity and line-of-credit utilization. But the recovery is far from uniform.  

Some lenders nudged guidance up; others trimmed expectations as tariffs, the rate path, and politics continued to whipsaw sentiment. For commercial banking leaders, the signal is clear: growth is back, but it’s selective—and the right talent will determine whether you capture it or watch it pass by. 

The state of play 

Growth pockets, not a tide.  

PNC posted its strongest lending jump since late 2022 and inched 2025 growth guidance up to roughly 1%. C&I balances rose as both new originations and utilization improved, while commercial real estate contracted as risk was reduced. First Horizon also reported a 2% average loan lift, with C&I and seasonal mortgage-company lending doing the work.

Mixed messages elsewhere.  

M&T lowered full-year NII guidance amid sluggish loan growth and a deliberate, ongoing reduction in CRE exposure. Wells Fargo is seeing only modest commercial borrowing for now, expecting a better back half.

The big bank advantage.  

Large institutions continue to outpace smaller peers on total loans year over year and can lean on fee engines to offset slower categories. Bank of America reported broad-based loan growth across every segment, and JPMorgan logged gains driven by commercial and investment banking, where improving IPO and deal activity supported both loans and fees.

Macro is the swing factor.

After the initial tariff shock, many borrowers pressed pause on capital decisions. As policy visibility incrementally improves and rates begin to drift lower, utilization and new demand are picking up. Industry data show year-over-year loan growth topping 4% for the first time since late 2023, with momentum most evident at super regionals as fixed-rate assets reprice and demand returns. 

What this means for commercial banks 

1. C&I will lead the cycle—so staff to win utilization and share.
   Early momentum is concentrated in lines of credit and working-capital solutions. Teams that convert pipeline chatter into funded balances share three traits: disciplined coverage, rapid credit decisioning, and purposeful cross-sell into treasury. Invest in relationship managers who own wallet share, not just volume; credit partners who understand cash-flow lending at today’s spreads; and product leaders who can bundle payables/receivables, card, and FX into every renewal. 
2. Pricing power is fragile—build a bench that can manage it daily.
   As rates ease, spreads will compress and competition will intensify. You need talent that treats pricing as a living system: portfolio analysts to monitor elasticity, bankers trained to trade nonrate value (collateral, covenants, fees, deposits, TM attach), and a centralized pricing function that uses guardrails, win-loss feedback, and hedging strategies to hold net interest income. 
3. CRE will be a drag and an opportunity—separate offense from defense.
   Many boards still want lower CRE concentrations, which keeps headwinds in that book. The best banks are bifurcating talent: workout and special assets specialists to accelerate de-risking, and specialized originators focused on resilient niches such as industrial, owner-occupied, and essential retail. Don’t ask one team to do both. 
4. In a fee-supported world, treasury is the growth engine—treat it that way.
   When loan growth is uneven, noninterest income and operating deposits stabilize earnings. That requires leaders who think like product marketers as much as bankers: segment managers who build use-case bundles, onboarding teams that accelerate time-to-first-payment, and implementation managers who reduce friction so utilization sticks. 

The Anderson Search Group is already seeing increased demand from commercial and investment banks looking to hire across all levels, from analysts to managing directors.  

Let’s chat.